Jefferson plans new park at former Highway Dept. Shop site

EXCERPTS FROM THE DAILY JEFFERSON COUNTY UNION — Concept plans are in development for a 5- to 7-acre public park on a portion of the the former Jefferson County Highway Department shop. The rest of the 18.34-acre site would be utilized for future private development.

On Monday, the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors Parks Committee was presented with a draft concept map of the site redevelopment produced by Vandewalle & Associates Inc., Madison, which is the longtime planning consultant of the City of Jefferson and also has served other municipalities across the county.

According to the draft concept map, the county/city park could have approximately 900 feet of river frontage with the Rock River, a boat launch, kayaking and canoeing, a playground, docking, a pavilion, a riverwalk trailhead, a fishing pier and public parking.

The park would also have connectivity to the Rock River National Water Trail, Jefferson County’s Glacial River Trail and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Glacial Drumlin Trail.

“The thought is, you do (the park) first and it’ll help with (the future private) redevelopment,” Jefferson County Parks Department director Joe Nehmer said.. “That could be townhomes, condos, apartments. Likely, it’ll be all three of them. It isn’t single-family residential.”